The gathering is a celebration of all things Northumbrian, from music to food, history and language to archaeology and craft.

Emily Davison died after she was hit by George V's horse Anmer at the 1913 Derby. She was a militant suffragette who had spent several spells in prison, including once for assaulting a Baptist minister she had mistaken for prime minister David Lloyd-George. She spent the night of the 1911 Census hiding in a cupboard at the Palace of Westminster, so that she could give the House of Commons as her address.

Her funeral cortège attracted huge crowds when it was drawn through London on its way to King's Cross station – although her friend Emmeline Pankhurst was not among them, as she had been arrested that morning and taken to Holloway prison. Her coffin was marked with the words:

The gathering runs over this weekend at venues throughout Morpeth. Events include concerts, a barn dance, a book launch, exhibitions, lectures and performances, as well as many competitions and other events. Everybody is encouraged to wear as much purple, green and white – the suffragette colours – as possible.

Another feature of this year's gathering will be an emphasis on Anglo-Saxon literature, music and art, in preparation for the return of the Lindisfarne Gospels to Durham over the summer.

Addison Rapper dance band process through Morpeth with the town's coat of arms. Picture courtesy of King Edward VI School

On Saturday morning a cavalcade will ride down the high street, commemorating the riders who returned from the 1388 Battle of Otterburn, a long and hard-fought fight between the Scottish and the English, probably the bloodiest of all the border battles up until Flodden, whose quincentenary will be celebrated later this year.

Given recent weather, organisers are keen to stress that there will be plenty of indoor events at central venues such as the Town Hall and Chantry Bagpipe Museum, while outdoors there will be market stalls and entertainers in the Market Place, battle re-enactments in the park and a storytellers' garden at the Millennium Green. On all three days local produce and crafts can be found on Market Place stalls and in the Town Hall exhibition.

Musician Emily Portman. Picture courtesy of Emily Portman

The Friday evening gala concert, The North Country Lass, will feature musicians and singers including Werca's Folk women's choir singing Sandra Kerr's new song Emily Inspires, Tom Patterson with his piece Heroine of Morpeth Town, BBC Radio 2 Folk Award New Song winner Emily Portman, local champion accordionist Gemma Telfer (a descendant of Emily Davison's family), duo Hautbois with popular songs of 1913, female rapper dance team Star and Shadow performng the traditional pitman's sword dance.

Ray and Lottie Alexander will take the roles of leading suffragette supporter George Lansbury MP and Emily Davison during the evening.

* The Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering takes places throughout Morpeth from April 5-7. Further information is available here.

A hundred years ago, three suffragettes ran through Manchester Art Gallery, smashing the glass on pictures. The words they used to explain their actions remain as relevant today, writes Jeanette Winterson